Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is situated on granite
hills covered with conifer and hardwood forests and streams located
northwest of downtown Atlanta. The 2,884-acre park preserves a Civil
War battleground of the Atlanta Campaign, during which General William
T. Sherman captured Atlanta. Kennesaw Mountain was the last major
natural obstacle which the Confederate Army fortified to protect
Atlanta from the Union Army's advance at the end of June 1864. Fighting
occurred here from June 18, 1864, until July 2, 1864. Sherman's
army consisted of 100,00 men, 254 guns and 35,000 horses while Confederate
General Joseph E. Johnston had an army of 50,000 men and 187 guns.
The Confederates lost 800 soliders killed during the campaign compared
to 3,000 Union soldiers, while over 63,000 more soldiers were wounded
or captured.

Lithograph of the June 27 Union
charge on Confederates at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. published
1888 by Louis Kurz and Alexander Allison Courtesy of Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University
of Georgia

Although these battles were Confederate victories, General Sherman's
flanking movements in the following days caused the Confederate troops
to withdraw to the safety of defenses ringing Atlanta on July 2. Union
forces later surrounded Atlanta and a series of Confederate attacks
to break the Federal siege ended in defeat, causing the evacuation
of Atlanta. The city was surrendered to Sherman on September 2. Atlanta's
capture helped President Abraham Lincoln win re-election and crippled
the South's ability to continue fighting against the Union. There
are three battlefield areas at the park--the main site is located
at Cheatham Hill, the other two are in front of the Visitor Center
and off Burnt Hickory Road. While walking some of the 17.3 miles of
interpretive walking trails visitors encounter historic earthworks,
cannon emplacements and various interpretive signs. There are three
monuments representing groups that fought here.

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, administered by
the National Park Service, is located three miles northwest of Marietta,
Georgia. Take the 269 exit from I-75, and take Barrett Pkwy. west
for approximately three miles and turn left at Old Hwy. 41. Turn
right at Stilesboro Rd, the visitor center is on the left and open
8:30am to 5:00pm daily, closed Christmas. Weekend during daylight
savings time the visitor center is open until 6:00pm. The park is
open from dawn to dusk; there is no fee for admission. Call 770-427-4686
or visit www.nps.gov/kemo
for more information.